Sanctuary on Ice
by Crystal Flare
Summary: A tragic accident had put a stop to her dreams for years, living as a shell of her former self in an abusive environment, plagued with endless guilt because of the past. Turning 19, she makes the decision of returning to her roots in Hasetsu, hoping to ignite lost passions and hopes... and maybe, reboot her greatest of loves: skating. Main:YuriPxOC, Victuuri, YuriKxOC friendship.
1. Chapter 0: Prologue

**Sanctuary on Ice**

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 _ **Note: ** (optional reading) Hello all! This will be a Yurio x OC centered fic... eventually. ^^;;;_

 _This chapter is OC-only, next ones will start having YOI characters ^^_

 _Ship info: The Victuuri pairing will be left unharmed (the ship is perfection that should not be broken) ; Yurio x Otabek will mainly have a bro/best friend type of relationship – I honestly see them to be as close as Yuri is with Phichit (his Detroit times). These two are cute marshmallows together TwT._

 _Story info: There's a 4-years gap between the OC and Yurio, which means that any actual more-than-friendship-romance thing will happen way, way later in the storyline due to... age-related reasons because otherwise it would be too disturbing to the thought... you know, Yurio being 15 and all that trouble._

 _Also, the way Yurio came off in the anime, to me it appeared that his main focus is on ice skating, since he has more vital things to do at this point in his life than chase someone romantically. *main family provider, needs the money from medals and sponsors to keep his Grandpa safe and healthy as can be*_

 _Not to mention he will eventually have a growth spurt in the future (even in the anime he is aware of his body changing eventually, so he has to do Agape while he still looks the part), which will surely mess up his routine and balance... a lot. Painfully a lot._

 _Names info: I will keep the Yuri K. name and not make it Yuuri (will follow the official site names, not fandom choices ^^; ) I'll make an effort to make it easy to distinguish between the 2 Yuri's, probably using Yuri P's nickname a lot or other cat-related ones._

 _Disclaimer info: I don't own these perfect YOI characters, just my OCs._

 _Enough with the infos ^^;;;_

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 **Chapter 0: Prologue**

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A sharp whistling and a sudden jolt to the right shook her back to the waking world, head knocking into the window quite painfully. The bang was loud enough to be heard in close proximity, but no one paid much attention to the noise. The girl painfully groaned, gritting her teeth while she gently rubbed the pulsating area, feeling a bit of a bump forming there.

 _'Brilliant Sana strikes again...'_ , she thought upset, her vision gradually clearing up as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.

Sana lifted herself into a more proper seating position, her lanky legs no longer going underneath the seat in front. Brushing the boots on something too soft, she realized her puffy crimson muffler became a carpet for her dirty footwear... no wonder her head directly banged the window. Her temporary 'pillow' had slipped from her grasp during the involuntary nap. Moreover, this had numbed her body in multiple areas, her neck receiving the worst pain from it. Knowing her luck, it wasn't going to be a quick fix – it would surely bother her for the remaining hours of the day.

She started doing some light stretching, massaging the back of her neck and wishing for the best, while inspecting the train cart. Aside from a group of women in the back and a couple of business-attire folk scattered around, the train was pretty empty.

No one took notice of her graceless actions.

"Where am I...?", she wondered out loud, peeking at the phone she was using as a music player not long ago. Judging by the time, she was close to Hasetsu station – only 20 more minutes left to go. "What the- 34 missed calls...", she narrowed down her eyes, scrolling down; her expression soured instantly.

Without a doubt, it was from the same individual who decided that different contact numbers would somehow make a difference – she counted at least five. Plus, no one else would contact her but _him_. No one else was allowed to know this number. _'It's too late now...'_ , she lowered her gaze sadly.

And it didn't stop with the phone calls.

Sana explored the e-mail spam in her inbox, nearly 89 in number, alternating from sweet requests, to sheer death threats, resentment outpours and more desperate pleading to return home. She didn't open any of the messages voluntarily, but in order to bulk-delete the content... inevitably, the girl would pick up certain words regardless of her will to consciously avoid them. First lines weren't hidden...

Each written fragment was another stab wound, adding more scars to her already battered heart.

Sana knew well that no sweetened apology was true in intentions, the rage and anger revealing the man's true nature – she knew very well, how despised she had become to the point her skin carried fresh markings to this day, reminders from the other week _he_ got disappointed with her presence and lost his patience. The girl had gathered enough evidence throughout the years, certain that any other gentle treatment was merely a hook to keep her reeled inside the house, trapped in a miserable life without escape. She was constantly showered in guilt, made to remember past traumas... Just so she wouldn't _think_ of ever leaving.

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 _'I've had enough... I was stronger than he thought.'_

 _._

Sana's fingers were fast in dealing with the messaging abuse, blocking number after number. It was tedious work, wishing of an easier way to do this. Changing the phone number was a priority for the future, since she was certain _he_ will find other ways to do such a stunt again. Unfortunately... the funds for such a plan were currently lacking. The money she had stored underneath the mattress was barely enough to buy a full train ticket, Sana not realizing how expensive it was this time of year, even though the winter celebrations were over.

Regardless of the consequences, the girl had the courtesy to send one final message before she blocked the last unknown number, officially marking the end of a dark chapter in her life.

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 _'I will not shame you anymore._

 _I never existed – just like you wished, I will disappear._

 _Stay in good health._

 _Farewell.'_

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She couldn't help but feel some sense of relief wash over her body, looking outside the window as the green lush scenery switched to a more urbanized jungle, small buildings lining up alongside the train tracks.

This... this here was the fresh start she had been dreaming of for years – to return back to the days where her passions and love for life fuelled her entire being, always excited by the notion of 'tomorrow', which would lead to new adventures.

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 **Hasetsu Town**

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Slowly, her troubles were fading away into the back of her head, brown eyes desperately searching for places she might recognize from her childhood memories, while the train was making its final few turns. Sana was soon able to spot the ageless Hasetsu Castle, its presence a beacon in that landscape. The former ninja outpost was the main symbol of the town and the most popular landmark for any potential tourists who would wonder off around here. If you had enough patience to climb all the way to the hilltop, you could witness an incredible panoramic view.

Sana would always do excursions in the weekends, watching the quiet city unfold its secrets at her feet or playing with her friends – at the time. They liked pretending to be silly ninjas together, getting lost a couple of times.

Her expression instantly lit up. It looked so tiny from where she was standing, only a few cms in length~!

Sana quickly took a quick photo of it, before other buildings blocked the view. _'Picture 1 of the new Sana chapter~!'_ , she thought positively, still carrying plenty of doubts regarding her decision to drop everything in her life and leave in search of her roots.

Another thing that made the castle's presence memorable was how close it was to her grandparent's home, around the tourist shopping district and the bath houses.

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"Next stop, Hasestu Station!

Please, pay attention to your footing as you leave through the doors.

Do not forget any belongings inside the carts, we hold no responsibility for lost items.

Have a wonderful day~!"

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Sana hadn't had any contact with her relatives since the fated Toronto events, many years ago, which turned her entire existence upside down. The girl couldn't find the courage to reach out until today... even more so, considering she had been repeatedly told that they renowned her as their own flesh and blood. _"Be happy you're not living on the streets like rodents!"_ , was something her father greeted her every time she did something he regarded as _stupid._

"I'm home...", she whispered softly, leaving the train cart with her belongings.

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 **~oOo~**

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She was famished, but all she could buy were some fish-shaped crackers with the remaining Yen, lasting no longer than a minute in the plastic bag.

What caught her immediate attention were the many posters plastered all over the station, all with the same ice skater Sana easily recognized. Nostalgic feelings bubbled inside her heart – _Katsuki Yuri_. It was incredible to see him everywhere... she approached the nearest poster, her brown eyes picking up lots of scribbled notes painting the surface – all were from the fans, directed towards Yuri.

They were wishing him good fortune and luck.

Some were hardcore trolling, making her eyes twitch.

Even so...

Her eyes became gentler, smiling softly while her fingers traced a few of those wishes. _'So jealous...'_ , she thought, her eyes beginning to sting. _'Oh, dangerous!'_ The girl didn't linger any more, grabbing the stroller's handle and heading out for the long journey towards her grandparents' house... her feet were not going to be be pleased at all.

Sana believed the walk would be dreadfully long and uncomfortable for her emotions, but she kept finding distractions down the path to ease her anxiety.

Yuri's posters weren't unique to the train station, no... various other locations had them too: restaurants, coffee shops and even random street signs. Sana was utterly amazed by this – the Grand Prix was over for sure by now, the date being somewhere mid-February for all she knew... yet the support from the people stuck around. She had lost track of time on the road, at one point even taking photos of some ridiculous places she would find Yuri's face.

She really did look like a strange skating-otaku tourist...

Locals would actually approach her, weary of her intent since she seemed more of a creepy lurker... that is, until they realized what her photographic subject was about. A few ended up complaining about his performance, but the rest usually praised the boy. A vast majority had no idea who he was, which... Sana found truly odd because it was hard to miss these posters.

Who in the world placed them around here...?

 _._

"His looks are so average... is he really that famous?"

"An idol maybe?"

"There's no way this is true..."

 _._

 _'These people... This town's so strange, was it always like this?' ^-^;;;_

"He is this town's pride! Little girl, don't listen to the bitter folks, who only love a person's looks and achievements, and resent him for his failures!", an old man passionately growled, his teeth constantly cluttering from his nerves while he was dangerously fluttering his cane, high up in the air. Sana had to carefully avoid being smacked in the face... more than twice.

She strongly hoped the man wasn't doing iton purpose... - ;

Nevertheless, she was amazed. The stranger was unusually informed about the sport, making Sana feel uncomfortable by his vast knowledge of Japanese skaters, wanting to find an opening to leave without appearing too rude. "You look familiar, little one. Haven't I seen you on TV-"

"Ah, no no no~! I a-am definitely n-new here, I swear!", Sana stuttered far too loudly, waving her hands in quick protest while the man kept eyeing her suspiciously, stroking his beard in deep thought. The girl giggled clumsily, backing away slowly before bowing down respectfully, apologizing for she had to go back to her regular schedule~!

"Do you now... Hm." He was becoming highly suspicious. "Ah... AH! That's right!"

Sana _really_ did not want to listen to this man's retort, however a familiar name on his lips had induced panic into her body. Without throwing another glance, she started sprinting, rushing through the narrow streets in order to reach a safer zone. It didn't take long to finally reach one of the main bridges crossing the river.

 _'Just a little more now...'_

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 **~oOo~**

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 _'Okay... how do I approach this though...?'_ , the girl pondered for a few minutes, awkwardly standing in front of the house she had spent the majority of her childhood in. She was losing courage by the second, chewing onto her bottom lip and tightly gripping the stroller's handle, until her hand numbed.

She blamed her shuddering on the thin clothes she was sporting and the cold weather, the sun gradually setting into an evening hue, no longer sending much warmth.

At that moment, the house seemed more like a dream than reality... it didn't change much from the last time she'd been here, apart from the fresh coat of paint being darker than she remembered or the wild vegetation threatening to stick out entirely from the fence.

Other than that... the view offered her a strong sense of deja vu, reverting back to happier days. _How many years was it... six or seven? Since she last saw any of this in the flesh_? Sana couldn't accurately remember the date, a wide smile forming on her features. The entire vibe of the place brought so much nostalgia, already becoming a healing balm to her soul. It's... it's been so long.

"I'm home...", she whispered, wishing she could say the words more confidently and with deeper meaning again.

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 ** _*GLASS SHATTERING*_**

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The noise alarmed Sana whose eyes darted down the road she came from, instantly becoming rigid and ghostly pale from the scene. _S-She wasn't ready to face this after all!_

A woman in her mid 70's caught her attention, more wrinkles and white hair strands than the girl remembered the elder having. Also, she was no longer the plump mochi roll from the past, but thinner and more frail looking. Her trademark glasses had the same sharp golden-colored frames, beads dropping from the sides towards the back. It was so old-fashioned yet... they looked perfect.

Yes... there was no way Sana could be mistaken. "Obaa-san..."

"A-A-A!", the woman raised her trembling finger, pointing it towards the youth as waves of shock washed over her expression, comically twisted in an exaggerated manner. "AAAH! Y-Y-YOU!"

The elder could barely form coherent sounds...

Sana feared the woman was nearly experiencing a heart attack from how she was convulsing or worst – she might collapse and become seriously injured, getting even life threatening wounds. She didn't want to cause her granny any more grief, but she was very worried, wanting to take some safety precautions. With firm steps towards the woman, she reached out for her with an extended arm, attempting to keep her in a standing position.

Appearing almost frightened by the gesture, the elder made the same amount of steps backwards, shaking her head slightly, while bringing both her hands over her mouth, continuing to tremble from all her joints.

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 **Rejection.**

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It...

It hurt.

It hurt so much, Sana bringing her own hands close to her aching chest, having lost the fight to suppress her feelings, which were bursting down her cheeks. "O-O-baa... san.", the girl's faded voice shook, becoming quite high-pitchy as she felt her knees weaken, becoming like jelly worms. All strength had drained from her body – it turned out not to be a lie in the end.

She was truly disliked by the relatives here; why else would grandmother react in such a manner? Why else would she fear her or carry such an awful expression...?

"Tch..." This visit turned out to be a mistake after all. She had been so naive... stupid.

Too ashamed to keep the eye contact, Sana knelt to the ground and planted her forehead onto the road, regardless of the trespassers around to witness the display. "I am sorry...", she weakly spoke, unable to take the guilt any longer. "I'm so sorry... What happened that day was my fault only!"

"I pressured her into being so reckless!", the tears were falling down uncontrollably at this point, her voice becoming stronger by the self-hatred she had been bathing in for years and the flashes wheezing in her head. "It was my fault entirely!"

"I-I'm so s-", her jumbled speech was put to a sudden halt by what felt like strong protective arms, snaking around her frame and squeezing her with as much power as it was humanly possible. Disregarding the old aching hips and legs, the elder knelt next to her bawling grand niece, who was startled by such a warm gesture, unable to understand what was going on anymore.

Head risen from the ground, she did not expect the sad, yet gentle words that followed the elder's mouth, soon accompanied by a deeper one from inside the house. Grandfather heard the ruckus too, sitting on the entrance doormat and wearing the widest grin the little one had ever seen him do.

"Okaerinasai... Sana-chan~!", he spoke, wiping away his cheeks with the back of his hand, the other sustaining his weight onto the wall. "Don't stand there in the cold, you'll get ill and make your poor obaa-chan more upset."

"...", she bit her bottom lip hard, closing her eyes and muttered painfully... "T-Tadaima!"


	2. Chapter 1: Reconnecting Pending

**Sanctuary on Ice**

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 **Chapter 1: Reconnecting Pending**

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The first rays of sunshine grazing over her cheeks had jolted Sana awake from her restless slumber, drenched in sweat and panting heavily – the aftermath of a nightmare that seemed horrifyingly real. She darted into seating position, confused about her unexpected surroundings for a few moments, different than the usual suffocating walls. It didn't take long for last night's events to clear out the fog in her mind.

Sana started to softly laugh and tear up, cupping her face into both her hands, attempting to control her breathing and the extreme pounding of her heart. _'I can't believe it...'_ , she lowered her hands, dragging them on top of her chest like a prayer, looking around in pure amazement.

 _'This is real.'_

She was back at her grandparents' house, more exactly the guest room where she used to stay in as a child during summer holiday. Sana wasn't aware of such details the night before, exhaustion having taken over the youthful girl as soon as she greeted the elders, in a reunion her dreams couldn't have made sweeter. She could now visualize many memories just by gazing at the numerous items and furniture scattered around, which made it seem that time had stilled for all these years apart.

The entire room was one large memento of the past.

Her eyes eventually landed over the small brown dresser in front of the bed, where a small toy collection was sprawled on the light crochet cover. Getting out of bed, Sana reached for the nearest plush toy resting on top: _the sunflower lion_ , which was an all-time favorite of hers, the girl's mother having bought it after her first skating competition.

It witnessed many failures and successes in her life... In less than a year, the toy had shifted into a type of trademark mascot for the girl, representing her attitude on the ice rink – maintaining a bright and innocent aspect on the outside, when it came down to business though, Sana would become a fearless and powerful competitor on the ice, never backing down a challenge. She would always carry it around, until she was forced to _'grow out of it'_.

Father hated it for he believed that champions didn't linger such silly sentimentality over toys: _this is not how they were made!_ If the girl truly wished to prove that all his money hadn't gone to waste on her training all these years, she should take things seriously or he'll end it once and for all! Such words always came at the worst of times, her performance acts suffering as a consequence...

It used to spark many arguments between her parents. The man had never bothered to hide his dislike for his daughter, or at least he never showed proper support about anything she did, unlike mother. She was the support the girl most needed at times, especially in crisis moments when her father would be in his _moods_. Father's yelling was similar to breathing air for a human – so natural, she didn't even feel remorseful anymore or hurt by the words. It was his _'discussion voice'_ , he didn't see anything wrong with merely trying to aggressively persuade others that his methods and beliefs were _correct_ and everyone else was in the wrong. Nevertheless, he would be very much annoyed when others did not share his views and felt he needed to have a more overwhelming voice to nullify faulty opinions.

His attitude would clash against his wife's, who would drive him to the brink of madness.

...

 _'Poor Raioncchi...'_ , the girl thought, hugging the plush. It was a bit worn out and color faded in time, but it remained in pretty good shape... considering the high amount of torturous squeezing, sobbing and drooling the lion went through.

 _'Hm... It isn't dusty at all.'_ , she sniffed it.

"Come to think of it... this room is spotless too...", Sana observed, a soft smile greeting her features. The elders had kept these memories intact and alive – she was grateful.

So very grateful...

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 **~oOo~**

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Many things were left unspoken on purpose yesterday.

The talk at breakfast was similar, people gathered at the table doing their best not to mention anything specifically tragic. Even so, allusions towards _it_ would scratch the surface, making Sana shudder anxiously. But the elders really wanted to know what the girl had been doing all these years they had lost connection with her... after the accident, everything darkened.

"Father."

One word.

Sana didn't think more was needed, pretty much self-explanatory. Her grandmother gave a long painful sigh, the girl appearing troubled by the reaction... she should have responded in a gentler manner.

The woman once approved of father, as part of the family, but Satoru-kun was always a troubled spirit.

"He... lost control.", was all the child could mutter, not wanting to get into many details.

"Sato-chan said you went on pursuing other activities that made you happier and were firm on this decision.", grandfather whispered. "And you couldn't set foot here anymore because it reminded you too much of Nanae-chan."

"... He said that?", the girl placed her chopsticks back on the plate, eyes narrowing down.

"We stopped insisting. He wouldn't have picked up the calls anymore if we continued.", he added, grandmother quickly grabbing a napkin and tapping it underneath her eyes as emotions rushed over her again. It was obvious that father had been lying to them and the hunch was finally confirmed by Sana... The woman should have done so much more, then... maybe they could have taken her into their own care much ear-

"He would have opposed it.", the young one added bitterly. "Or found ways to prevent it..."

The only reason she was even here was because of her planning, which had unexpectedly good results – he thought she was too weak to think of such drastic measures. Also, at this point in her life, there really wasn't much that man could do about her leaving the house. Sana was legally an adult and able to make her own life decisions, whether he approved them or not.

Sana no longer lived underneath his roof so his rules were void.

"But enough about that~~~~!", she grinned widely, laughing loudly however it didn't reach her eyes. Sana wanted to know more about the elder's life... and more about the town~!

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 **~oOo~**

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Her grandparents still owned the clothing store and were in business even after the official retirement. Their long-time seamstress and family friend, _'Rose'_ , was taking care of the activities on-site since their retirement. She had more modern approaches to the outfits, making them more accessible to youngsters – partly the reason why the store was still hanging and making profit. "That's nice!"

The onsen business was no longer flourishing like it used to in the past, many places in Hasetsu suffering this fate. "The Katsuki family is the only one who runs one in the district anymore. Many others have sold the land, being turned into real estate buildings or other compounds."

"Oh..."

"Speaking of Katsuki, I haven't seen Yuri-chan in such a long time... I wonder if that boy is healthy and well.", grandpa mentioned, trembling hands gripping the tea cup, sipping some of the warm liquid.

"I hear he's become quite the popular _figure_ in town.", Sana replied, remembering all those posters she had passed by, which... reminded her... she had pictures to show them! "I've never thought I'd see him on so many trash bins, though...", the girl giggled lightly, sweat drops tainting her face... actually, that wasn't really a good spot to put someone's profile on.

"Ah~! Minako-san's work. That woman... Incorrigible."

Grandmother couldn't stop shaking her head disapprovingly as grandpa was having a healthy laugh. Then her eyes darted towards Sana, sporting a much more serious expression. "She's still asking about you."

"She... does...?"

"Every time we meet, she is wishing us that you're doing well."

"..."

"But now that you're here, you will be able to pay her a visit~!", the woman suggested with a wide grin, grandpa patting the young one's back. "Who knows, maybe she'll finally have a student this year."

" _Finally_?"

"Children these days aren't interested in sports anymore, not with those electronic devices they keep carrying in their hands. Just like this darn thing on the table.", grandpa pointed to the phone with touch-pad, which Sana quickly removed forgetting about it there. "And parents don't consider the lessons important enough for their future, so they do not sign up the children."

"Oh... if that's so then...", the girl scratched her head. What was Minako-sensei doing for a living then?

"Bartending her own pub."

"Oh... my...", Sana's eyes turned into really thin slits... she couldn't help recall the woman's unhealthy alcohol issues, unable to suppress a few drowned laughter sounds. _'Was it even that wise to have her running such a place...? It didn't feel safe at all... for her wallet.'_

"She's doing quite well actually~!"

"She'd have fared even better had Yuri been champion like she thought he could be. Always yelling – this year is his year!", grandmother interjected.

"And it's never his year.", the old man said boldly, Sana hissing painfully because of it... that had been far too honest...;;;

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 **~oOo~**

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Now that breakfast was over, Sana did not wish to waste any more time in purchasing a new phone. For that, she needed to have money and she wasn't keen on resorting to begging her family for it.

No – she needed a proper job. Sana's first choice was her grandparents' shop, thinking she could kill two birds with one stone this way, helping to ease even more of their burdens with the clothing business – _were they in need of more help around?_

"I don't mind one bit, you can give me any task and I won't complain~!", she offered excitedly and, for a while, the elders fell into a pensive state bringing hope to the girl. However... the outcome was not completely favorable, avoiding the answer for a later time.

For now – _she should go greet people in town~!_

"And! Before I forget...", the woman pressed a piece of paper onto her niece's hand, a couple of phone numbers and addresses scribbled on it. Between them she recognized Minako's info and a few more nostalgic names. A particular couple made Sana yelp out of shock.

"No way... they got married~?!"

Sana was so certain that Yuuko had a closer relationship with Yuri... and that they'll eventually end up together – he was always red in cheeks when speaking in front of her. It was adorable...

Seeing this fact though about Nishigori...

"Indeed. And had triplets in the meantime."

"NO WAY!"

 _._

 _T-The shock was t-too much! Suddenly... Sana felt so old... ;;;_

.

And infuriatingly out of touch about her former friends' lives... she pondered whether they even remembered Sana at all or not. Not that they had to... she didn't bother to reconnect with them in years, being only 12 years old when she switched continents to move to Toronto.

...

It really wasn't a good excuse...

Reminiscing about those joyful days through her current filter was always odd – like re-watching a movie in front of her eyes, only this one had her as protagonist, bringing forth many nostalgic waves. Sana wasn't aware where she was going, mixing up her room with her grandparents' one.

The door was left opened when she barged in, freezing on the spot.

"Oh...", her eyes immediately picked up many details, especially on the walls, her mouth hanging slightly. Countless medals decorated granny's bedroom, having replaced the big old painting of a cherry tree scene she remembered them having above the bed.

"..."

Those didn't even feel like Sana's achievements anymore... they were pretty worthless now...

 _*feels a gentle tug*_

The girl's heart made a sudden leap, turning her head to see into her grandmother's eyes. "Since you're here, I need to give you a present.", the elder made heavy steps towards the closet, gesturing towards the girl to follow swiftly. She stopped inside the storage closet, pointing to the girl to move along. Then she pointed towards the top of the cupboard, requiring Sana's aid for this last step.

She curiously entered through the doorway, noticing an array of large boxes there. "Take the black one with the red writing on the side."

The girl nodded in understandingly, following the request. She struggled a bit with it – the box had quite a heavy load, throwing it onto the bed, making it bounce slightly. Before she opened it, her grandmother added. "When you're ready, child. Not now."

"Umm... Ready?", the girl was confused, but understood once the woman pointed towards the wall with the medals. Her expression softened, but it wasn't a happy one – she didn't know if she wanted to be ready. She might never will be... It wasn't as if Sana hadn't attempted to try after the accident.

It was difficult to focus and concentrate on her steps without falling down, aching everywhere. Despite no threatening physical pain, most of the injuries having healed entirely, her skin would _remember_ the sensations too well, turning even a slight bump into something more terrible – **_ghost pain_ ** was a real thing, caused by severe mental stress to name just one of the causes. It lingered to this day even...

Not to mention, whenever she attempted to rejoin the ice skating activities, her father would blow up in anger, nearly having a breakdown. He never approved of these sessions in the past and since the accident, there was nobody who could stop him from influencing his beliefs for many years.

One day, he nearly placed Sana in a hospital after he discovered about her 7 a.m. _'hobbies'_ while lying about her duties at work – she started much later during those days. The only difference between then and now was...

... this freedom to exercise her choice without fear of corporal punishment.

She... was tempted... really tempted to retry and see how well it goes this time. But... it's been such a long time she did a proper training or even a complete program...

"..."

 _Wasn't it too late for Sana anyway...?*feels a hand caressing her back*_

"Regardless, keep it in your room."

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 **~oOo~**

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In the end, all Sana did for the day was to walk around the town aimlessly, passing by more buildings and photographing things that would be eye-catching or interesting. She had done it for half a day, ignoring any cravings for feed she may have, before receiving a call from her grandmother. Dinner would be ready soon and since she skipped lunch in their home, she wanted her to join them – _like a good granddaughter would~!_

Maybe she would like to eat something there at home. If not... there was always an alternative.

 _'What would you say about an onsen night with us?'_

"Erm... I don't think I want tha-"

 _'They have single rooms if it makes you feel more comfortable. Furthermore... You haven't met with Minako today. Her voice was especially louder on the phone today, after I asked her about your visit at her place.'_

"... O-O"

"Y-You did that...?", Sana wanted to facepalm badly... she never actually _agreed_ to do this today.

 _"Don't have me repeat the experience with the Katsuki's too... my old hurt bones can barely take it anymore..."_

"...", the girl's eyes narrowed down, cheeks painted in red. _T-This..._ Sana forgot how much guilt-tripping the woman did!

"I'll consider it...", the girl sighed deeply, her mood souring. "I won't promise-"

 _"Okay, I'll call them to schedule us a table and a room for a few hours."_

"W-Wait-!" **_*Ends call*_**

"..."

Sana did slap her face in the end, leaving a more permanent red on her cheeks while she groaned upset. Public baths gave her anxiety – even taking a shower could take a nasty toll on her, having to keep her eyes shut constantly because there were things about her body she could not face without bursting into tears. Injuries go away, they heal – but remnants linger on the skin no matter how hard you want to wash it away.

 _'Father hated my tears as well... any suspicious sounds would make him flip.'_

Water was no longer her friend.

Thus, the girl tried to avoid returning back to the house in a timely manner, constantly looking for things that could be of interest to her in terms of photography. In no way was she an expert, this should be made very clear... it was just an outlet, for the girl to escape her own reality by capturing scenes in front of her, from a reality that didn't necessarily belong in her existence or could be influenced in any way by her.

 _The sky, the buildings, the animals, the trees..._

Landscapes were especially beautiful this time of year and Hasetsu had many architectural gems she liked in this old part of town. Plus, she was close to the base of the Hasetsu Castle, her favorite spot in the entire city so the excitement was tenfold.

Unknowingly though – _or just plainly ignoring it before it was too late_ – the Ice Castle was just around the corner, its sign becoming quite the glowing blue beacon in the evening, the lights turning on the exterior. Sana stopped for a few seconds, moving her phone's camera to it and snapping another photo.

"..."

She should have turned away quickly...

Her feet did not listen, coming closer to the building, using the stairs to reach the entrance level. It was surely closed at this hour of the day, right...? The light wasn't turned on inside and, from what she could remember, not a lot of people came after 6 o'clock – only the professionals and none were in Hasetsu anymore. _'Well... none actively competing.'_

Sana prompted her body next to the glass door, squeezing her eyes. The little she could tell by using the phone's flashlight was that the interior of the ice castle had changed – a lot. It was more modern than what she remembered.

 _'Hmm... Maybe she could...'_ , she thought, looking at the door handle and trying to give it a little push-

.

 **"THIEF! ATTACK!"**

.

"AGH!", Sana bumped her head hard into the glass door, brushing her hands over her pained forehead and nose... _i-it hurt so much~!_ She rubbed the pained areas carefully, narrowing down her teary eyes in frustration. Three pesky little children were yelling too loudly for her own comfort, frightening her and angering her at the same time.

 _'T-Thief? Who were they calling t-thief?! She was just in the area! Minding her own business! Sort of!'_

The children were in formation, _weapons_ ready to jump on her – one carried the camera to record video, another to take pictures and the last one had the voice of ear-deafening. Immediately, Sana turned to them, flustered and upset, her hair no longer covering her reddened face as she massaged her forehead.

The children went silent.

"You little bra-", the girl started, but a sharp female voice came from within the darkness, pretty far away though. "I-I'm so sorry for them!", it almost felt like an echo.

"M-MOM!", the more courageous of the twins called after her, Sana's heart leaping suddenly from the noise.

"Tch...", Sana didn't like this situation any longer – what if the mother was also crazy?! She quickly grabbed the phone she dropped – _thankfully, not breaking the screen_ – and wanted to leave the area rapidly, when she nearly fell down the stairs after the brats called out her name without a hitch. "HUH?", she experienced the shock of her year.

Sure, she expected older people to remember... not _children_ though.

 _._

 _'NEVER CHILDREN!'_

 _._

The trio yelled in unison, their hostile attitudes switching to an even more frightening paparazzi mode. The phones were flashing non-stop from the amount of pictures they were taking; also, a large booklet was suddenly shoved so hard inside her stomach, Sana fell down on one knee in pain. _It was to sign an autograph for them~!_

Also, since she was down..."Say 'Victoooooor'~!"

"..."

Selfies... happened.

 _'W-WHAT IS THIS?!'_ , Sana's eyes were wide as saucers, tackled in a strong hug by all three when their mother had finally reached the stairs, having run out of breathe from chasing the girls. She had been yelling after the triplets so much, her throat was hurting and... she nearly cried for real, appalled by her kids' actions. The mother could never control their actions no matter how much effort she put into it... She bowed down, wanting to apologize for her children's actions when...

"..."

...she froze, her eyes becoming an even bigger watery mess.

"S-Sana...?"

"..."

The girl should have noticed from the start. It wasn't common to see three tiny beasts around this place – triplets nevertheless. It was very much uncommon to give birth to them, especially in such a small community area.

"Sana, is it really you?!"

The girl clicked her tongue. She wasn't ready to meet anyone from the group... but she tried to offer a smile, albeit strained.

.

.

"Heya... Yuuko-senpai."


End file.
